POSTSEASON PRIME: 20-16

20. Brody Larocque

Saint Francis - senior - pitcher

The Skinny: Brody Larocque epitomizes the notion that it's not where you start, but where you finish. The senior was a high school baseball afterthought three years ago – a glorified manager, as he called it – but worked hard and waited for his opportunity. It came this year and he took advantage of it combining with Kyle McMillan to put forth one of the most dominant regular seasons in recent years. When all was said in done, the Lancers set a new school record by tossing 17 shutouts, including at least one against every team in the WCAL. They also held opponents to a 0.91 earned-run average. In the end, they were knocked off in the CCS semifinals, a 1-0 loss where Larocque threw a complete game four-hitter. "It wasn't the result we wanted, but I wouldn't have wanted to spend my second semester of senior year any other way," the Chapman University signee said. "Practicing and getting better with that group of guys is something that I looked forward to every day. It's a team that I'm going to remember forever and not because we were a really great team, but because of the way we connected."

Season Highlight: In a season filled with highlights, Larocque points to a shutout of Valley Christian as his moment because it came on the heels of a loss to St. Ignatius, a game where he allowed seven runs. "After SI got the better of me the outing before, being able to come out and throw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts was a really great feeling."

"I'd say I'm a pretty emotional guy on the mound. If you asked the guys on the team, they'd say I do it for the photos, but I like to celebrate. I always feel when a pitcher is out there getting hyped with his teammates after a good inning, the other team definitely can feel beaten a little bit by that."

The Numbers Tell the Story: Walked just 14 batters in 67 2/3 innings, while striking out 68 and holding the opposition to a .163 batting average.

Eye-Popping Stat: He entered this season having thrown just 12 varsity innings but ends his career with a 0.62 earned-run average and 80 strikeouts in 79 2/3 innings.

19. Ryder Kelly

Menlo-Atherton - senior - second base

The Skinny: If starting four freshmen made Menlo-Atherton the Baby Bears this season, senior second baseman Ryder Kelly, a three-year starter, could indeed be called Papa Bear. "I'd day I became more of a leader and a role model for all the young guys on the squad," said Kelly, who will move on to play at UC-Davis in the fall. "I didn't use my voice on the field as much last year." In showing the youngsters how to win at Menlo-Atherton, Kelly set up the program for years to come. "There's a lot of potential for those guys in the future," he said. Kelly is a throw-back kind of ballplayer, a kid straight out of a bygone era when the bats were made of wood and the ballplayers sharpened their spikes and prepared to play a hard-nose brand of baseball. Menlo-Atherton played one of the toughest schedules on the Peninsula and got off to a 3-9 start but came on strong in the second half and had a shot at defending its PAL-Bay Division title until losing on the last day of the season. The Bears qualified for the CCS-Division II tournament but were quickly eliminated by top-seeded Carmel.

Season Highlight: In a 22-11 shootout with Pioneer, Kelly collected four hits, including two doubles, with four runs scored and five RBI.

"I was a needed leader for a team with a lot of young guys this year. As far as stats go, I was exceptional."

The Numbers Tell the Story: Batting leadoff, Kelly had a .483 on-base percentage. He scored 33 runs and stole 18 bases.

Eye-Popping Stat: Kelly had 19 extra-base hits, including a Peninsula-leading 16 doubles.

18. Chase Gordon

St. Ignatius Prep - senior - first base

The Skinny: Chase Gordon, who will play at Cal State-Northridge in the fall, is spending the summer in Canada, playing in a collegiate summer league and getting used to baseball becoming an even bigger commitment. "It's definitely an adjustment," said Gordon, who is the youngster on his team. "I've been picking the minds of everyone here and learning just by asking questions." Learning the art of eating to keep the body energized and the rigors of playing at least nine innings every night have been his biggest takeaways so far. All of this comes on the heels of a high school season that didn't end as St. Ignatius Prep had hoped but still featured a solid individual performance by Gordon. "It sounds easier than it is, but just swing the bat," he said. "It's about being aggressive early in the count and trusting your swing. ... The point of just being early and hitting the ball where it is pitching was a big thing and, obviously getting that swing off." The Wildcats were one of the few WCAL teams that was loaded with seniors, but they were shut out by Soquel in the CCS-Division I quarterfinals. "We didn't achieve what we wanted, but I couldn't ask for a better group of guys."

Season Highlight: Gordon, whose hometown is San Mateo, hit a home run – his first high school homer – at Serra to help beat the Padres in late April. "That was definitely a great moment," he said. "That was definitely an awesome moment. Playing against those boys is a battle I am definitely going to miss."

"We all came together this year and said, 'Let's just have fun.' I wish there was a lot more to it, but the main thing was not to bet cheated and get your swing off. I was happy to see it work out."

The Numbers Tell the Story: Gordon had a .432 on-base percentage, and a .536 slugging percentage. That added up to an OPS of .968.

Eye-Popping Stat: On the mound, he threw 32 innings and compiled a 2-2 record and 2.84 earned-run average.

17. Tanner Wall

Saint Francis - senior - right field

The Skinny: Born in Boston, Tanner Wall spent the first five years of his life there before moving with his family to Palo Alto. And since being here, he's become a Californian, so much so that when it came time to choose a place to spend the next four years, he chose Pepperdine University. Located smack-dab in the middle of Malibu Beach, it doesn't get any more Cali than that. "My friends (in Boston) liked the idea of Pepperdine but wanted me to go back to the East Coast to play." No such luck. Pepperdine got itself a right fielder whose best baseball is probably still ahead of him. Wall batted third in what was the best lineup – top to bottom – on the Peninsula. "It was really special," Wall said. "Having that kind of lineup, it was great to know that you had the support of every spot in the order." Wall's throwing arm was also a bonus. Never was that more apparent than in a 6-1 victory over Mitty on March 27. Felix Chang lofted a fly ball to medium deep right field with Derek Allen on third. Wall caught the ball, curl hopped and fire a one-hop strike to catcher Bennett Simon, who applied the tag on a sliding Allen to keep Mitty off the scoreboard. "A play like that brings up the energy insanely," Wall said. "I think it brings up the whole team. I know it brought up my energy."

Season Highlight: Wall launched a two-run homer in the Lancers' four-run fourth inning that proved to be the only runs in CCS quarterfinal victory over Serra. His circuit around the bases was a glimpse of pure exuberance. "Experiencing that joy at CCS, in the playoffs when if you lose, you're out, is amazing," Wall said. "It was a tight game. And I think it's really important to have that one swing, and I got it. That felt amazing."

"It was an amazing season. The winning was fun, but getting to spend every day with your family was what made the season what it was. I know we didn't end to our hopes, but at the end of the day, that's just baseball. I love this team more than any other and we played some amazing baseball."

The Numbers Tell the Story: Wall had 27 hits and walked 22 times, giving him an on-base percentage of .476. He also stole 13 bases and scored 27 runs.

Eye-Popping Stat: At a time when situational hitting is a lost art, Wall had three sacrifice flies, tying him with Henry Dommer for the team lead.

16. Jack Freehill

Menlo School - senior - shortstop

The Skinny: Jack Freehill says the Menlo Knights were in need of a new challenge this season. After winning a CCS-Division V crown in 20024 and a CCS-Division IV championship last year, the promotion to the PAL-Bay Division was just what they sought. "It was definitely a tougher division, and we had a lot more battles," said the senior shortstop who will be playing in the fall at Columbia University. "We held our own and grew as a team and that really carried over to the postseason when re really caught our stride." The Knights won a CCS-Division III crown and were one win away from a second straight NorCal championship. They lived up to the challenge they sought and much of that had to do with an offense that featured Freehill in the leadoff position. The loss to Roseville in the NorCal-Division III final snapped a string of 14 straight postseason wins dating back to 2024. "We were just focusing on one game at a time," Freehill said. "I think after winning in the playoffs in previous years, we wouldn't be satisfied if we came up short." Freehill is playing in the Appalachian League, a collegiate summer ball circuit that's sanctioned by Major League Baseball.

Season Highlight: A 7-6 victory over Aptos in nine innings in the CCS-Division III semifinals might have been the Knights most exciting game of the season. "There were a bunch of lead changes and then to see Renner (Barnett) walk it off in the ninth was so sick," Freehill said. "The whole game was just insane and was definitely the highlight of the season."

"Early in the season, I got a few pitches up in the zone and got to do some damage. Even though I didn't hit many bombs this year, there was a big difference in how the ball was coming off my bat."

The Numbers Tell the Story: Of Freehill's 36 hits, there were three home runs, two triples and eight doubles, giving him a slugging percentage of .600 and an OPS of 1.131.

Eye-Popping Stat: Freehill had 30 RBI, the most by any leadoff hitter on the Peninsula.